Trough type hatch operating arrangement



April 6, 1965 R. A. SCHMEIDER I THOUGH TYPE HATCH OPERATING. ARRANGEMENT6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 4, 1963 R m m m A ril 6, 1965 R. A.SCHNEIDER TROUGH TYPE HATCH OPERATING ARRANGEMENT 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledJune 4, 1965 m mm. E N $4 1C- m A v w w x O Y 9 R AT Q I ll! Ill/l I I!l Ill/ll!!! April 6, 1965 R. A.. SCHMEIDER TROUGH TYPE HATCH Q'PERATINGARRANGEMENT Filed June 4, 1963 INVENTOR. Y ROBERT A.5CHMEIDER BY m,fi/zemaa/aw $9 dings APril 1965 R. A. SCHMEIDER 3,176,630

TROUGH TYPE HATCH OPERATING ARRANGEMENT Filed June 4, 1963 6Sheets-Sheet 4 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I II I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I l INVENTOR'. ROBERT A SCI-IMEIDERApril 6, 1965 R. A. SCHMEIDER THOUGH TYPE HATCH OPERATING ARRANGEMENT 6Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 4, 1963 R m v m QUEER]? A SCHMEIDER April 6,1965 R. A. SCHMEIDER THOUGH TYPE HATCH OPERATING ARRANGEMENT 6Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed June 4, 1963 I IA 'IIIIIIIIIIIII INVENTOR. ROBERTA. SCHMEIDER $42M, Jamal/aw United States Patent 3,176,630 TRGUGH TYPEHATCH OPERATING ARRANGEMENT Robert A. Schmeider, Butler, Pa, assignor toPullman Incorporated, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware FiledJune 4, 1963, Ser. No. 285,397 9 Claims. ((11. 105377) The invention isdirected to improvements in hopper cars particularly those of the typeprovided with elongated hatch openings and cover plates permittingsimultaneous exposure of a plurality of aligned hoppers for simultaneousor continuous progressive material filling thereof. More specifically,the invention deals with new and improved operating means for a hatchcover plate especially of the type used with trough hatch arrangementswherein the cover plate is of substantial length.

The use of a trough type hatch arrangement in hopper cars permits asubstantial reduction in car loading time by reason of the fact that allof the hoppers are exposed through the roof of the car for simultaneousor continuous progressive filling. The material delivery equipment needmerely be progressively advanced along the hatch opening as eachsuccessive hopper is adequately filled and no time is lost indiscontinuing material discharge operations while movement from oneisolated hopper to the other is carried out. With the advent of thistype of hopper car filling arrangement, various forms of batch coveroperating means have been proposed, and it is the principal object ofthe present invention to provide a new and improved form of operatingmeans which is unique by reason of its simplicity and effectiveness.

A further object is to provide a specific form of operating means foruse with an elongated hatch cover arrangement, the operating meansincluding as a part thereof a mechanical linkage arrangement ofuncomplicated design utilized to lift the hatch cover plate in acontrolled and efficient manner.

Still a further object is to provide a new and improved hatch coveroperating means for hopper cars or the like, the operating meansconsisting of supports and operating linkages relying solely onreciprocating and pivoting action thus providing simplicity of designand operation.

Another object is to provide a new and improved hatch cover plateoperating means of the type described in the foregoing objects, theoperating means including as a part thereof positive lock means ofuncomplicated and efficiently functioning design.

Other objects not specifically set forth will become apparent from thefollowing detailed description of the invention made in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective of a hopper car including a trough type hatcharrangement and the operating means of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective of the handle and lockarrangement of the operating means of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a transverse section of a portion of the trough type hatcharrangement illustrating the operating means in elevation;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevation of the operating means as viewedlongitudinally of the hatch arrangement along line 4-4 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of the operating means;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to. FIG. 3 illustrating functioning of theoperating means;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary section of the operating means as viewedgenerally along line 7--7 in FIG. 8; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary section of the operating means viewed generallyat right angles to the illustration of FIG. 7.

FIG. 1 illustrates a hopper car 10 including a plurality oflongitudinally aligned hoppers 11, only the end ones of which are shown.The hoppers are of known configuration including converging wallsections terminating at the bottom thereof in material discharge devicesof any suitable type through which material can be withdrawn from thecar either by gravity operation or by pneumatic suction tube equipment.The hoppers are closed off at their tops by side roof sheets 12 and endroof sheets 13 of any suitable arrangement, these root sheets receivingthereon longitudinally extending running boards 14 located along eitherside of a trough type hatch .arrangement generally designated by thenumeral 15. The hatch arrangement 15 includes an elongated generallyrectangular hatch opening defined by a peripherally continuousupstanding sealing rim 16 and a hatch cover plate 17 of a configurationconforming to the opening and rim. At spaced intervals along the troughhatch arrangement 15 special operating means 18 (FIG. 3) including theexternal handle and lock assemblies 19 of FIGS. 1 and 2 are mounted foruse in controlling operational positioning of the cover plate 17 betweenthe sealed position shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 and the raised or openposition shown in FIG. 6.

Referring particu arly to FIGS. 3-5, the hatch arrangement is reinforcedat spaced intervals longitudinally thereof in association with eachoperating means 18 by transverse, generally U-shaped plates 20 extendingacross the hatch opening in fixed undersurface engagement with the roofsheets 12 and oppositely positioned upstanding rim sections 16. Eachplate 20 reinforces the hatch arrangement transversely thereof and alongthe top, generally concave surface area thereof a convex baffle plate 21is provided which extends across the hatch opening in opposite endattachment with opposite rim sections 16. The bafile plate 21 not onlyfurther reinforces the hatch arrangement but also presents a relativelysmooth baffie surface across the hatch opening to prevent damage tomaterial being delivered thereinto by eliminating contact with any sharpreinforcing plate edges.

Each operating means 18 generally comprises a drive or operating shaft22 extending transversely of the hatch opening through a section of therim 16 thus providing an end portion received within the hatch openingand an opposite end portion projecting externally thereof for readyoperating access thereto. The outer end portion of the shaft 22 isrotatably journaled in a support sleeve 23 suitably fixed to the rim 16.The outermost end of the shaft 22 projects from the sleeve 23 and hasfixed thereto a longitudinally extending operating handle 24 which is inclose operative association with the lock assembly 19.

The inner portion of the shaft 22 within the hatch opening has fixedthereto a pair of radially downwardly directed and axially spaced shortlever arms 25 which at the lowermost ends are pivotally attached byfasteners 25 to downwardly extending, relatively long levers 27. Thelevers 27 at their lowermost ends are pivotally received about atransverse pin 28 forming a part of a socket member 29 of cup-likeconfiguration in which is received the bottom end of a support shaft 30extending upwardly in vertically sliding and rotatably pivoting relationthrough a guide sleeve 31.

The support shaft 3i) at its uppermost end is fixed to a transverselyextending, horizontally arranged and diago: nally projecting pivot arm32 which is located across the hatch opening directly under the adjacentportion of the cover plate 17. Centrally of the pivot arm and cen-'trally of the cover plate 17 a bearing assembly 33 pivotallyinterconnects the arm and plate. In spaced relation on either side ofthe bearing assembly 33 the top surface of the pivot arm 32 has mountedthereon up wardly projecting bearing brackets 34 of inverted U- shapedlocated in close association with undersurface portions .of the coverplate 17 for stabilization thereof and intermediate support thereofbearing in mind that the cover plate 17 is relatively flexible.

The cover plate 17 is formed from a main longitudinally extending plateof generally inverted U-shape having a peripherally continuous dependingflange portion 35 inwardly of which a continuous gasket 36 is carriedfor sealing engagement with the outwardly curled top edge portion of therim 15. Adjacent the connection of each operating means 18 to the coverplate 1'7, a transverselyextending reinforcing plate section 37 isattached to the cover plate and conforms thereto.

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate the uncomplicated design and arrangement of themechanical elements of each operating means 18. The inner end portion ofthe shaft 22 between the upper end connection thereof with the leverarms 25 is rotatably journaled through a sleeve 38 which is fixed to theguide sleeve 31 and extends transversely thereof. In this respect thesleeves 38 and 31 provide one another with mutual support and cooperatein rigidifying and fixing the various elements of the operating meansrelative to one another. While the operating means is primarilysupported by the shaft 22,.it will be understood that any suitableattachments can be made to further rigidify and support the elements ifnecessary.

The longer levers 27 at the top end portions thereof are each formedwith an arcuate neck-like section 39 providing for an offsetting of theupper end relative to the lower end placing the upper end in attachmentalignment with the associated lever arm 25. This offsetting designfurther provides for clearance between the shaft 22 and the levers 27 inthe raised position of the cover plate as shown in FIG. 4, operation tothis raised position to be described.

The socket member 29 as previously described is of cup-shaped and merelyencompasses the lower end of the support shaft 30 to permit pivoting ofthe lower end in the socket member 29. The socket member includes abottom section 40 having recessed in the bottom surface thereof andfixed thereto the transverse pivot pin 28.

The cover plate and pivot arm bearing assembly 33 includes an annularbearing block 41 fixed to the upper surface of the pivot arm 32 andreceiving therethrough a bearing bolt 42 which extends upwardly throughthe pivot arm and through the cover plate. The bearing block 41 mountsperipherally thereabout a conventional bearing assembly 43 in engagementwith a bearing plate 44 fixed to the undersurface of the cover plate 17.An annular depending sleeve 45 is carried by the plate 44 and extendsdownwardly in overlapping relation with the bearing block 41 toprotectively enclose the bearing assembly 43 from the ingress ofmaterial delivered into and stored in the hopper. The bearing bolt 42projects about the upper surface of the cover plate and includes athreaded shank portion 46 about which a lock nut 47 is received. Withthis arrangement the cover plate 17 is centrally supported by the pivotarm 32 and pivotal movement between these elements is provided.

Operation of each operating means 18 is brought about by movement of thehandle 24 through an arc of approximately 180 from the position shown insolid lines in FIGS. 2 and to the position in broken lines in the sameviews. The handle 24 extends longitudinally of the car in parallelingrelation with the hatch opening and cover plate and upon movement fromthe closed hatch solid line position illustrated through an-arc of 180,the shaft 22 is correspondingly rotated in a counterclockwise manner asviewed in FIGS. 4 and 8 resulting in the lever arms 25 fixed to theshaft 22 being moved from a depending position to an upright position asshown in FIG; 4 in broken lines and as shown in FIG. 6 in solid lines.During such movement, the curved upper ends of the levers 27 moverearwardly and upwardly relative to the fixed sleeve 38' along oppositeside surfaces of the vertical sleeve 31. With such movement the levers27 are raised vertically and the transverse movement thereof ispermitted by reason of their bottom end pivotal attachment with the pin23. The vertical movement results in the lifting of the socket member 29accompanied by the lifting of the support shaft 30 through the sleeve31. The pivot arm 32 rises with the shaft 39 and the cover plate 17 iscorrespondingly elevated out of sealing engagement with the rim 16.

Operation is completed when the handle 24 completes movement through itsarc of approximately and at such time the lever arms 25 have fullyreversed their positions. The curved offsetting neck portions 39 of thelevers 27 move into overlying relation relative to the shaft 22 as bestshown in FIG. 4. Further counterclockwise movement can be prevented byabutment of the neck portions 39 of the levers 27 with the shaft 22,.butthe total movement is also limited by abutment of the handle 24 with theadjacent roof sheet portion 12. The raised position of the cover plateis shown in FIG. 6 in solid lines and in FIG. 4 in broken lines. In thisraised position the cover plate of course completely clears the rim 16and the pivot arm 32 also completely clears the rim 16. This permitshorizontal transverse movement of the cover plate into a position to oneside of the hatch opening as shown in broken lines in FIG. 6. The pivotarm rotates about the vertical axis of the support shaft 30 and thepivot arm also rotates relative to the cover plate by reason of thebearing assembly 33. In the oil?- set position of the cover plate thehatch opening is completely available throughout its entire length formaterial introduction into the longitudinally aligned hoppers. Thelongitudinal spacing of the operating means 18 permits continued andeflicient support of the cover plate in its raised and offset positionand the bearing members 34 are available to reinforce the cover plate toprevent any substantial bending thereof to an extent that would bedetrimental thus providing a stabilizing action.

FIGS. 2 and 5 best illustrate the lock assembly 19 as comprising agenerally L-shaped support plate suitably fixed along the base legportion thereof to the adjacent roof sheet 12 with the upstanding legportion thereof paralleling the handle 24 in close associationtherewith. This upstanding leg portion functions as a guide surface forthe handle 24 during operation thereof and also can be used in retainingthe shaft 22 in its proper operative positon. Adjacent the top portionof the upstanding leg portion of the support plate 48 it is a lockelement provided with a central offset and projecting handle portion 49and opposite end prong-like lock elements 50 which overextend theopposite vertical side margins of the support plate and project inwardlytherefrom in overlapping engagement with the adjacent top surfaceportion of the handle 24. Intermediate the handle portion 49 and each ofthe offset lock elements 50 there is provided a journal neck portion 51extending through straps 52 suitably fixed to the support plate 48. Thisarrangement permits pivoting of the handle member 49 in a verticalmanner through an arcuate path accompanied by appropriate movement ofthe horn or prong-like lock elements 50 into and out of overlyinglocking relation with the handle 24.

To release the handle 24 for movement of the same into cover platelifting position, it is necessary merely to adequately depress thehandle 24 to permit clearance of the lockelement 50 in engagementtherewith and then lift the handle portion 49 to clear the lock elementtherefrom. The handle is then free to be moved to its open position andit will be noted that the arrangement of the lock elements 50 inlongitudinally spaced pairs permits one lock element to hold the handle24 in one of the operating positions thereof. In this respect one lockelement will hold the handle in the cover plate closed position and theremaining lock element will hold the handle in the cover plate raisedposition thus providing means for locking the cover plate in each of itsoperative positions.

The operating means described is of compact design and can bemanufactured and installed economically. The utilization of transverselyspaced pairs of toggletype linkages provides for a force balancing inthe operations of lifting and lowering the elongated cover plate. Themechanical parts and connections are of a very simple nature thuseliminating the possibility of fouling thereof by the materialintroduced into the hoppers.

Obviously certain modifications and variations of the invention ashereinbefore set forth may be made with out departing from the spiritand scope thereof, and therefore only such limitations should be imposedas are indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a hopper car having a plurality of aligned hoppers provided with acontinuous hatch opening which is defined by a continuous rim, and asingle hatch cover plate enclosing said opening with marginal portionsthereof in sealing engagement with said rim,.the provision of hatchcover plate operating means mounted in said opening and comprising ahorizontal pivot arm extending transversely of said cover plate andbeing pivotally'attached thereto centrally thereof, said pivot armincluding vertical support means extending downwardly therefrom adjacenta side portion of said opening, means carried by said car and pivotallyreceiving said support means, drive means for said support means carriedby said car and extending externally thereof for access thereto, andlever means interconnecting said drive means and support means to raiseand lower said support means and said pivot arm and cover plate uponoperation of said drive means.

2. The hopper car of claim 1 wherein said drive means includes arotatable shaft interconnected with said support means throughtoggle-type relatively pivotal lever means.

3. The hopper car of claim 1 wherein said means receiving said supportmeans includes a vertical sleeve in which said support means is receivedfor pivoting and reciprocating movement, the lower portion of saidsupport means projecting downwardly from said sleeve and being pivotallyreceived in a socket member to which said lever means is connected.

4. The hopper car of claim 1 wherein said drive means includes arotatable shaft extending through said rim transversely of said openingand having handle means attached thereto externally of said carlongitudinally of said cover plate, and lock means on said car and engaging said handle means to hold the same in cover plate open and closedpositions, said lock means including an upstanding support meanspivotally mounting thereon a generally L-shaped locking member, saidlocking memher being movable into and out of edge engaging relation withsaid handle means to maintain the same in longitudinally parallelingrelation with said cover plate.

5. In a hopper car having a plurality of aligned hoppers provided with acontinuous hatch opening which is defined by a continuous upstandingrim, and a single hatch cover plate enclosing said opening with marginalportions thereof in sealing engagement with said rim, mounted in saidopening and comprising a horizontal pivot arm extending transversely ofsaid cover plate and being pivotally attached thereto centrally thereof,said pivot arm including a vertical shaft member located adjacent saidrim and pivotally and reciprocably received in a vertical sleeve carriedby said car, a transverse drive shaft extending through said rim havingfixed thereto lever arm means which in the closed position of said coverplate extends downwardly along said sleeve, and lever means pivotallyattached to said lever arm means and extending downwardly into pivotalattachment with said shaft member, whereby rotation of said drive shaftraises said lever means and shaft member relative to said sleeveaccompanied by raising of said pivot arm and cover plate.

6. The hopper car of claim 5 wherein said drive shaft outwardly of saidrim has handle means attached thereto which extends longitudinally ofsaid cover plate, and lock means on said car and engaging said handlemeans to hold the same in cover plate open and closed positions, saidlock means including an upstanding support means pivotally mountingthereon a generally L-shaped locking member, said locking member beingmovable into and out of edge engaging relation with said handle means tomaintain thesame in longitudinally paralleling relation 7 with saidcover plate.

7. The hopper car of claim 5 wherein spaced pairs of lever arm means andlever means extend downwardly along opposite side portions of saidsleeve for balanced raising of said shaft member.

8. The'hopper car of claim 5 wherein spaced pairs of lever arm means andlever means extend downwardly along opposite side portions of saidsleeve for balanced raising of said shaft member, the lower end portionof said shaft member projecting below said sleeve and receiving asupporting socket member "thereon and in which said shaft member ispivotal, said lever means being pivotally attached to said socketmember.

9. The hopper car of claim 5 wherein said lever means includes an offsettop portion pivotally attached to said lever arm means forclearance withsaid drive shaft in the raised position of said lever means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,394,288 10/21Dossett 220-33 2,038,517 4/36 Alland' 220-33 XR LEO QUACKENBUSH, PrimaryExaminer.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent NO,3,176,630 April-6, 1965 Robert A. Schmeider It is hereby certified thaterr ent requiring correction and that th corrected below.

or appears in the above numbered pate said Letters Patent should read asColumn 2, line 13, for "root" read roof column 3, line 6, for "shaped"read shape line 43, for "cup shaped" read cup-shape column 6, line 9,

. after "rim," insert the provision of hatch cover plate operating meansSigned and sealed this 28th day of September 1965.

(SEAL) Allest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner ofPatents

1. IN A HOPPER CAR HAVING A PLURALITY OF ALIGNED HOPPERS PROVIDED WITH ACONTINUOUS HATCH OPENING WHICH IS DEFINED BY A CONTINUOUS RIM, AND ASINGLE HATCH COVER PLATE ENCLOSING SAID OPENING WITH MARGINAL PORTIONSTHEREOF IN SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID RIM, THE PROVISION OF HATCHCOVER PLATE OPERATING MEANS MOUNTED IN SAID OPENING AND COMPRISING AHORIZONTAL PIVOT ARM EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF SAID COVER PLATE ANDBEING PIVOTALLY ATTACHED THERETO CENTRALLY THEREOF, SAID PIVOT ARMINCLUDING VERTICAL SUPPORT MEANS EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY THEREFROM ADJACENTA SIDE PORTION OF SAID OPENING, MEANS CARRIED BY SAID CAR AND PIVOTALLYRECEIVING SAID SUPPORT MEANS, DRIVE MEANS FOR SAID SUPPORT MEANS CARRIEDBY SAID CAR AND EXTENDING EXTERNALLY THEREOF FOR ACCESS THERETO, ANDLEVER